cannabisnews.com: Libertarian Party Protests War on Drugs





Libertarian Party Protests War on Drugs
Posted by FoM on January 08, 2001 at 22:33:48 PT
By Adam Reiss, Lantern Staff Writer 
Source: The Lantern
One of the main platforms for the Libertarian Party is the re-legalization of drugs — all drugs. Thus, the Libertarian Party held an Anti-War on Drugs protest Saturday at the AMC Lennox because of last weekend’s release of the new movie “Traffic.” “The opening of “Traffic” was an ideal time for the first protest because it raises awareness for our cause,” said John McAlister, Libertarian Party candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2000, who received 3 percent of the vote. 
“Traffic” illustrates the Libertarian Party’s belief that the war on drugs is a waste of resources and a losing battle. It also demonstrates the idea that drug abuse should be treated as a medical problem, not a criminal one, according to Libertarians. “You are assured there is a problem in our country when a top director in Hollywood must drive home a point to Americans of what the government has yet to accomplish,” McAlister said. “The war on drugs in not being won and we are wasting billions of dollars on it. On top of the fact that it is immoral to tell people what they can and cannot ingest.” “If drugs were legal, the street price wouldn’t be so expensive,” said Libertarian Dennis Knepley, an Ohio State graduate who started the Free Speech Movement at OSU in 1965. “Right now the only people benefiting from the war on drugs are the drug dealers and the politicians.” Another reason for the Libertarian fight for re-legalization of drugs is because they believe drugs became illegal as part of a political agenda to purify the country in the early 20th century, McAlister said. “The culmination of the purification process occurred with prohibition, which was later abolished because more problems were created with the amendment,” McAlister said. “Before prohibition and the legalization of other drugs occurred, people used them responsibly and followed the laws, or were arrested if they acted illegally. We feel the law should learn from the past and act by punishing criminal behavior, not the substances.” Alcohol is a legal drug, often used irresponsibly, even by prominent figures, McAlister said. “Dana Rinehart, a former mayor of Columbus, acted irresponsibly under the influence of alcohol and crashed into a police car,” Knepley said. Knepley said the politicians running the country are continually wasting billions of dollars on the war on drugs . “Obviously this is a war that cannot be won, because people will still get drugs illegally, as they do now, so we need to stop wasting tax-payer money,” Knepley said. Knepley believes this will have a profound effect on society, but a change needs to be made. “Too many non-violent prisoners are being held while many rapists and murderers are being let free, on top of the fact that billions and billions of dollars are being wasted,” McAlister said. This was the first protest against the war on drugs in Columbus, and the Libertarians are in the process of planning more, McAlister said. Student Health Services was unavailable for comment about the protest over the weekend. Source: The LanternAuthor: Adam Reiss, Lantern Staff Writer Published: January 8, 2001 Copyright: 2001 ngda - The Lantern Contact: lantern osu.eduWebsite: http://www.thelantern.com/Related Article & Web Site:The Libertarian Partyhttp://www.lp.org/Protesting Another Misguided War http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8229.shtml
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Comment #9 posted by dddd on January 09, 2001 at 17:18:43 PT
Real player
I've thought the same thing FoM.My old Mac is too slow to get pot TV.
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Comment #8 posted by military officer guy on January 09, 2001 at 16:21:05 PT
excellent idea FoM...
post the transcripts if you can get a hold of them...we can win this war...
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on January 09, 2001 at 09:25:16 PT
Thanks for the information
Hi Everyone,I have so much trouble when I use Real Player or Media Player that I turn off about everything in my computer so I don't have trouble keeping up with what I do here but I'll give it a try. I have a question.Since many people have trouble with audio and video has Pot TV ever thought of transcripts of their shows? That way a really good show could be posted for those who have the same problem as I do?Just an idea.
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Comment #6 posted by kaptinemo on January 09, 2001 at 09:08:38 PT:
I second the motion!
I heartly recommend POT-TV for a number of reasons. Richard Cowan's 4:20 News provides some often wittily scathing analyses of the latest government claptrap about the DrugWar - and its' warriors - in general and cannabis in particular. It's a bloody shame he can't get an anti to debate him; they'd be reduced to stammering wrecks within 10 seconds of contact.I also recommend Chris Bennett's masterful treatises on the role cannabis has played in cultures world-wide. For those of us with a sense of history, his examinations of the (often, purposefully hidden) role that cannabis has played in the development of Eastern and Western cultures is always enlightening. Scholarly (yes, he sometimes does sound like a living term paper, but truth is often a very dry subject, anyway) and erudite, he brings to the argument for cannabis re-legalization the much-needed intellectual ammunition to counter the historical revisionism ("Cannabis has always been illegal!!!") which antis are so fond of engaging in.Yep, friends, if you can tune in on your 'puter (You'll need RealPlayer to do so, they don't support WinMediaPlayer) you may find it well worth your time.
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Comment #5 posted by Mari on January 09, 2001 at 08:21:01 PT
Pot-Tv
Pot-Tv has a schedule posted on their web site:www.pot-tv.net.The shows are archived so you can watch ones you've missed.They are adding to the archives all the time.I highly recommend the Burning Shiva Hour.Chris has done a 7 part series on Cannabis and the Bible that is OUTSTANDING!There are a number of shows to choose from.Check it out and tell your friends!
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on January 09, 2001 at 06:04:39 PT
Question JR.
Hello JR Bob Dobbs,You brought up a good point. I wonder if Pot-TV has a schedule that you could post so we know what is on and when? If I knew what was happening I would be able to find time to listen. When the news is slow I surf around but if I knew what was on I'd checked it out and I'm sure others would too.Thanks FoM!
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Comment #3 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on January 09, 2001 at 05:08:57 PT
Traffic
>>“Right now the only people benefiting from the war on drugs are the drug dealers and the politicians.”  And the narks, and the rehab racket, and the corporate prison industry, and the liquor and tobacco industries, and the legal drug makers...  Traffic does sound like a watershed film, even if it's not perfect. But I watch the real-life version every weeknight - it's called the 4:20 News with Richard Cowen at Pot-TV.net. (Maybe I should make up flyers and pass them out at Traffic screenings?)
http://www.pot-tv.net/
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Comment #2 posted by meagain on January 09, 2001 at 04:37:38 PT
More Protest
John McAlister received 3 percent of the vote but if you consider all the people who didn't vote might as well be libertarian which would have made it what ??% ???This was the first protest against the war on drugs in Columbus, and the Libertarians are in the process of planning more, McAlister said. "I hope they plan a lot of em I hope to see this movie soon !
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Comment #1 posted by Dan Hillman on January 09, 2001 at 00:04:21 PT
Traffic: Drug War Confidential
"Traffic" is a masterpiece and not necessarily because it's a teensy bit critical of the ever-present war on drugs, but because it's a good movie! Word is getting around too...in my city I only saw the movie on the third try of going to the cinema, because the film has been selling out here on the West coast.It's easy to see why, once you've seen the film. Traffic is well-made, fast paced, with interesting acting and surprise, surprise, plausible (though overly melodramatic) story lines concerning drug use. There's something for everyone here, even drug warriors! Hell, if anything the movie strains mightily to credit the drug warriors with all the smarts...just like every other Hollywood movie for the last 50 years. The drug use portrayed is ridiculously melodramatic. Yah, sure, every 16 year-old girl who uses drugs quickly spirals into prostitution and drugs herself into a daze, sure, right, whatever. No mention of the millions of 16 year-old girls who use drugs and go on to quite normal, even boring lives.  Traffic also didn't portray any "raves" where thousands of young people gather, use drugs and enjoy themselves, and live to tell the tale! "Traffic" chickened out of mentioning Amsterdam and similar places around the world, where much drug use is tolerated with few negative social consequences as compared to prohibitionist nations. That makes it just as brave as every other feature film for the past century...But you know what? I came away from the movie thinking that the floodgates have been opened. The big-city audience was awfully quiet throughout the 2 1/2 hour movie, and I noticed their quiet almost as much as the tripe on the screen.I can't help but think that the year 2000 has something to do with the flak aimed at the drug war. People are finally able to say: "we've been doing this for 80-odd years and losing every step of the way." Or perhaps: "geez, it's been 23, or 33, or 43 years since I did drugs, and grew up fine and now drug warriors *still* say: "just another few billion and another few chips off that old bill or rights and we'll be drug free."  Go play in "traffic", drug warriors!
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